Device for vaporizing liquid intermittently



pt. 18, 1956 s. H. RASKIN 2,763,246

DEVICE FOR VAPORIZING LIQUID INTERMITTENTLY Filed Oct. 18, 1952 FIGURE I.

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IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent i DEVICE FOR VAPORIZING LIQUID INTERMITTENTLY Seymour H. Raskin, Cincinnati, Ohio Application October 18, 1952, Serial No. 315,587

3 Claims. (Cl. 122489) My invention relates to steam generators. It is an object of my invention to provide a simple mechanism that will discharge puifs of steam without the aid of any moving parts.

It is a further object of my invention to prevent any droplets of water or condensate from being discharged along with the steam.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mecha nism that will fulfill the above objects, yet be simple to operate and economical to manufacture.

Still other objects are to provide a mechanism that is compact enough to be used in advertising displays of the type commonly placed on sales counters, and to incorporate into this mechanism provisions for recovering condensate or excess moisture that might otherwise be discharged and to thereby avoid frequent replenishing of the water supply.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of the entire mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of part of my mechanism in. combination with an additional device for producing rings of steam.

The mechanism shown in Figure 1 comprises a tank 1, containing water 2, and out of which extends forwardly a tube 3 which is bent upwardly to form a heating chamber 4. At the top of chamber 4 the tube is bent rearward at 27 to form a horizontal section 5 which is joined at 6, as by brazing, to a second tube 7, and tube 5 opens into tube 7. Tube 7 extends vertically downward from joint 6 to its open end 11. Its upwardly extending portion is bent forward at 8 above joint 6 and therefrom extends forward to form a horizontal section 9 terminating in an open end 10.

Lying in contact with heating chamber 4 is a tubular heater 12 of the type now commonly on the market. The heater comprises a copper wire coil 28 contained in a metal rod 29. The coil extends between terminals 15 and 16, and electrical energy passing through the coil is converted into heat energy. Heater 12 is of a capacity sufiicient to maintain the tubes 4, 5 and 9 at a temperature high enough to quickly convert water into steam.

Tube 12 extends upwardly along heating chamber 4 and is bent at 13 to extend rearwardly at 14, so that it is in contact with chamber 4, horizontal section 5 and horizontal section 9.

In operation, heater 12 heats chamber 4 to create steam therein. Since chamber 4 is in the form of a relatively narrow tube having a diameter of about /8 inch to inch, it will cause pockets of steam 17 to form along its length, and segments of water will be trapped between pockets 17. As the steam pockets 17 rise they expand as shown at 18 and 19 and pass through tube 5 forcing the water segments 20 ahead. When a water segment 20 reaches joint 6, it is thrown against the far wall of tube 7 as shown at 21, thereby permitting steam 22 to rise and 2,763,246 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 travel through tube 9 and out of open end 10. Water 21 drains downwardly through tube 7 into water tank 1.

It can therefore be seen that steam 22 will be discharged intermittently in a series of puffs 23. Any water droplets which may splash upwardly around bend 8 will immediately be vaporized upon contacting the hot walls of tube 9. Furthermore, steam 22 will not form condensate in tube 9 because the entire length of the tube is maintained at a temperature high enough to cause vaporization.

It can also be seen that the returning to tank 1 of hot water 20 and 21 will steadily raise the temperature of water 2 in tank 1, thereby increasing the speed of vaporization in chamber 4.

The device shown in Figure 2 is a mechanism for converting the puffs of steam 23 into smoke rings 26. It comprises an outer cylindrical wall 24 in which is concentrically supported a cone 25. As steam 23 is puifed out of opening 10, it must flow between cone 25 and cylinder 24, thereby emitting in the form of a ring 26.

Other types of heaters may be used although not specifically disclosed herein. My invention does not obtain novelty from the type of heater used, but rather from the manner in which the heater is incorporated into the device. For this reason, the use of flame heaters, heat lamps and other similar heating principles are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure.

While I have shown but one form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited by this disclosure, but rather by the depending claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for producing intermittent puffs of steam which comprises a liquid tank and two tubes, the first of said tubes being connected at one end to said tank and extending outwardly from said tank and thereupon being bent to extend vertically upward, and being bent again to extend horizontally and terminating in an open end, the second of said tubes extending vertically upward from said tank and having a single unobstructed hole of the same diameter as the open end of the first tube in its wall above said tank into which the open end of said first tube is connected, said second tube extending beyond said hole and terminating in an open end, and a heater adjacent to said first tube, said heater heating water in the first tube to form bubbles of steam therein, the diameter of said first tube being at least sufficient that discrete pockets of steam are formed there in, the diameter of the first tube not exceeding approximately three eighths of an inch, the diameter of said first tube being smaller than the diameter of the steam bubbles formed therein, whereby the steam bubbles force water through the first tube and whereby the bubbles are prevented from by-passing the water, the steam bubbles being discharged through the hole in the wall of the second tube against the side thereof, whereby water surrounding each steam bubble is separated therefrom, to return to the tank down the second tube, the steam being discharged through the open end of the second tube in intermittent puffs.

2. A device for producing intermittent puffs of steam which comprises a liquid tank and two tubes, the first of said tubes being connected at one end to said tank and extending outwardly from said tank and thereupon being bent to extend vertically upward and being bent again to extend horizontally and terminating in an open end, the second of said tubes extending vertically upward from said tank and having a single unobstructed hole of the same diameter as the open end of the first tube in its wall above said tank into which the open end of said first tube is connected, said second tube extending beyond said hole and terminating in an open end, and a heater adjacent to said first tube and also adjacent 'to that portion of said second tube which extends beyond said hole, said heater heating the water "in the first tube to form bubbles of steam therein, the diameter of said .first tube not exceeding approximately three 'eighths of an inch, the diameter of the first 'tube being sutfic'ient so that discrete bubbles of steam are formed therein, the diameter of the first tube being smaller than the diameter of the'bubbles formed therein, whereby the steam bubbles force water through the first tube and whereby the bubbles are prevented from by-pass'ing the'water, the steam bubbles being discharged through the hole in the wall against the side of the second tube, whereby water surrounding each steam bubble is separated therefrom to return to the tank down the second tube, the steam being discharged through the open end of the second tube in intermittent putts.

3. A device for producing intermittent pufis of vapor which comprises a heater, a liquid tank, and two narrow tubes, the first of said tubes being connected to the tank below the level of the liquid contained therein,

said first tube extending outwardly from said tank and being bent upwardly to form a vertical heating chamber above the maximum height of the liquid in said tank, said heater being adjacent to said vertical chamber and capable of creating bubbles of vapor within the liquid in said chamber, the uppermost end of said vertical turns to said tank, the lowermost end of said second tube terminating "within said tank and having an 'opening below the liquid level in said tank, the second of said tubes also extending upwarding from the end of the said first tube and through which vapor is discharged into the atmosphere, the heater heating the liquid in the first tube to vform bubbles of vapor therein, the diameter of said first tube being smaller than the diameter of the yapor bubbles gformed therein, whereby the vapor bubbles force liquid through the first tube and whereby the bubbles are prevented from bypassing the liquid, the diameters of the tubes being substantially equal 53nd being approximately one-eighth pf an inch to three-eighths of an inch, the vapor bubbles being discharged through the hole in the wall against the side of said second tube, whereby water surrounding each vapor bubble is separated therefrom to return to the tank down said second tube, the vapor being discharged through the open end of said second tube in intermittent puffs.

"References Cited "in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 644,862 Jacobus Mar. 6, 1900 I 1,325,861 Plasket Dec. 23,1919 1,891,466 Banks Dec. 20, 1932 1,976,462 Roe 'Oct. 9, 1934 2,240,100 Schmidt Apr. 29, 1941 2,329,116 Heilman Sept. 7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 553,281 Great Britain May '14, 1943 

